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The Seven Silly Eaters
Peter wants only milk, Lucy won’t settle for anything but homemade lemonade, and Jack is stuck on applesauce. Each new addition to the household brings a new demand for a special meal. What’s a mother to do? “[A] highly comic rhyming romp that surprisingly (and nicely) twists into a birthday story.” —School Library Journal
38 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1997
21 people are currently reading
2298 people want to read
About the author
Mary Ann Hoberman
77 books94 followersMary Ann Hoberman was an American author of over 30 children's books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 528 reviews
February 5, 2017
When seven children with different eating habits push their mother to the brink, they try to return the favour. As Neo discovers, their joint effort brings about the greatest food of all!
May 21, 2010
Five stars thanks to Marla Frazee's illustrations. I loved her work in All the World and am now a devoted fan. Her illustrations of family life just make me feel so happy! I am at once flooded with sweet memories of my own childhood and full of dreams for when I have kids of my own. She creates families and home-life that I can totally relate to! Not a neat-as-a-pin house, but one full of character with happy messes and signs of hobbies and work and love and life all over the place. In my opinion, she makes this book more than the rhyming text would allow.
Here is the story of the Peters family. As each baby comes along, Mrs. Peters finds that it has its own fussy way of being picky-eater--one only wants warm milk (not hot or cold!), one lemonade, one oatmeal, etc. Poor Mrs. Peters is always cooking so many different dishes (to her credit, hey, at least she is cooking from scratch! but I also felt a tad annoyed that she carried on like that for seven children, seems to spoil them over much--but, then again, this is a bit of an exaggerated story, of course) The final resolution is very sweet and Mrs. Peters finally has some help in the kitchen and a dish everyone will love.
Frazee's illustrations really bring the story to life. In addition to the fun little household scenes and tidbits here and there (like Mrs Peters practicing the cello--what a cool mom!) we also have the inclusion of MR Peters, who is completely absent from the text. He seems to be a hardworking chap, always bringing home food for the kids--so at least it's not like he's heaping all the work on his wife. And the family does seem very happy except for their food fiascos! ;-p
All in all, I recommend this for the illustrations if you like Marla Frazee--and if you haven't yet been introduced to her work, then give it a try! Though, I do think All the World is a better overall story.
Here is the story of the Peters family. As each baby comes along, Mrs. Peters finds that it has its own fussy way of being picky-eater--one only wants warm milk (not hot or cold!), one lemonade, one oatmeal, etc. Poor Mrs. Peters is always cooking so many different dishes (to her credit, hey, at least she is cooking from scratch! but I also felt a tad annoyed that she carried on like that for seven children, seems to spoil them over much--but, then again, this is a bit of an exaggerated story, of course) The final resolution is very sweet and Mrs. Peters finally has some help in the kitchen and a dish everyone will love.
Frazee's illustrations really bring the story to life. In addition to the fun little household scenes and tidbits here and there (like Mrs Peters practicing the cello--what a cool mom!) we also have the inclusion of MR Peters, who is completely absent from the text. He seems to be a hardworking chap, always bringing home food for the kids--so at least it's not like he's heaping all the work on his wife. And the family does seem very happy except for their food fiascos! ;-p
All in all, I recommend this for the illustrations if you like Marla Frazee--and if you haven't yet been introduced to her work, then give it a try! Though, I do think All the World is a better overall story.
January 26, 2015
Now a few years ago, a couple of my book friends had recommended me this cute children’s book called “The Seven Silly Eaters” by Mary Ann Hoberman along with illustrations by Marla Frazee, to read. But I was never able to get around to reading this book until just recently and now I wish that I had actually read this book many years ago!
When Mr. and Mrs. Peters had a son named Peter, their lives were perfect except for one thing…Peter was an extremely picky eater as he would only drink warm milk and refused to drink any kind of milk that is not warm. So, Mrs. Peters ended up making Peter’s milk the way he likes it. However, things get even more exhausting for Mrs. Peters when she ended up having six more children and they each have their different preferences for food:
1. Lucy always wanted homemade pink lemonade.
2. Jack would only eat applesauce.
3. Mac would always take out the lumps in his oatmeal.
4. Mary Lou loves homemade bread.
5. The twins Flo and Fran like their eggs a different way such as, Flo wanting her eggs poached while Fran likes her eggs fried.
All of these demands eventually made Mrs. Peters a wreck, until her birthday was coming up and she thought that her family would forget all about her birthday. But, as it turns out, the kids are planning something special for Mrs. Peters’ birthday!
What are the children planning to do for Mrs. Peters’ birthday?
Read this book to find out!
Wow! I just simply adore this book! It has everything that you would expect to see from a story that is about how parents try to deal with children who are picky eaters, except in this case, Mr. and Mrs. Peters has seven children who are picky eaters (so you can imagine what that would be like)! Mary Ann Hoberman has done a fantastic job at writing this story as the story is extremely cute and speaks out to many parents who have to deal with children who are picky eaters and who try to do everything in their powers to make sure that their children are satisfied. I really loved the fact that this story manages to be more humorous about this situation because not only do I sympathize with Mrs. Peters in having to deal with her children being picky eaters, but I also enjoyed seeing the different types of food that the kids liked, such as Lucy loving homemade pink lemonade (which I love pink lemonade myself, by the way) and Mary Lou loving homemade bread (which was something I wanted to make for myself for years now). I also loved the way that Mary Ann Hoberman made the text into a rhyming scheme as it made the story more creative and fun to read! Marla Frazee’s artwork is truly cute and hilarious to look at, especially of the seven children constantly asking their mother to make them their favorite meals. I always thought that the fact that the family’s house looks so messy and chaotic really complements the chaotic situation that Mr. and Mrs. Peter’s find themselves in when they have to take care of seven children in a small house and it also makes the illustrations extremely unique to look at.
Now, this is probably not a big deal, but I was a little annoyed with the fact Mr. Peters was barely acknowledged to in this story. If you read the text of this book, you will notice that Mr. Peters is barely mentioned at all and the only way you would know that he even exists in this story is through the illustrations of him standing next to Mrs. Peters throughout each image. I usually have issues with characters that are shown in a story, but barely make an impact on the actual story and I guess that is why this issue kind of bothered me, even though I still enjoyed the story.
Overall, “The Seven Silly Eaters” is a truly enjoyable book for parents who have to deal with children who are picky eaters and children who love reading a story that is full of fun! I would recommend this book to children ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this story.
I would like to thank my Goodreads friend Kathryn for recommending me this book!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
May 28, 2010
Growing up a lonely only child, with no pets, and no gorgeous house by a lake, I’d have eaten up this book as a kid. I loved it now too. The story a lot of fun. The illustrations are outstanding, really wonderful!
Every illustration is so intricate and there is so much to look at. This growing family of a mother, a father, and seven children, the youngest two twins, and their dog, their cats, and every detailed thing and activity going on in that house, well those illustrations could keep a reader/pre-reader interested and busy for a long time. They show the pandemonium of a busy and happy, messy and unusual family, an endearing family.
The story, told in rhyme, is that each child, when they’re about one year old, becomes such a finicky eater that they will each eat only one thing, and that one food has to be perfectly made. As they grow they continue to eat their one thing, seven different foods, but more of each of them, making their mother more and more frazzled while trying to accommodate them. The conclusion, and how this inconvenient family habit is slightly changed, is very entertaining.
Not so great re good nutrition, but children will know it’s silly, just as the title says.
I’m about to go look up other books illustrated by this illustrator!
Every illustration is so intricate and there is so much to look at. This growing family of a mother, a father, and seven children, the youngest two twins, and their dog, their cats, and every detailed thing and activity going on in that house, well those illustrations could keep a reader/pre-reader interested and busy for a long time. They show the pandemonium of a busy and happy, messy and unusual family, an endearing family.
The story, told in rhyme, is that each child, when they’re about one year old, becomes such a finicky eater that they will each eat only one thing, and that one food has to be perfectly made. As they grow they continue to eat their one thing, seven different foods, but more of each of them, making their mother more and more frazzled while trying to accommodate them. The conclusion, and how this inconvenient family habit is slightly changed, is very entertaining.
Not so great re good nutrition, but children will know it’s silly, just as the title says.
I’m about to go look up other books illustrated by this illustrator!
January 12, 2015
My daughter loves this book, so I've read it about a hundred times. It is funny, it has great illustrations, but I can only give it three stars because I feel like it sets a bad tone for motherhood. She has seven children, all picky, and she does ALL the work. They show the husband in the background reading a book and otherwise having time to enjoy his children, while she slaves away in the kitchen for her picky children. I guess in this way, it is a good lesson on feminism, because these are the sorts of conversations I have after reading this book with my daughter. I feel the need to point out to her how I wouldn't do this, how partners are expected to be partners in the annoying stuff too, how likes and dislikes are respected but that level of demanding is just unacceptable, how sad it is that at the beginning of the book she plays the cello and we don't see her doing that again until the accidental invention of the birthday cake.
June 10, 2020
This one is not nearly so fun to read as an adult without a child because you just feel so much angst for that poor mother. That being said, this is fun and an adorable reminder of the power available when we all work together with whatever special "gift" is our particular offering. In fact, if I still had small children at home I would make this book part of our Bible study whenever we got to 1 Corinthians!
September 29, 2023
hoberman's depiction of children is incredibly accurate lol
October 14, 2019
Overworked Mrs. Peters must contend with her seven silly eaters in this engaging picture-book, which boasts a rhyming, read-aloud narrative from author Mary Ann Hoberman - whose earlier
A House Is a House for Me
features a similarly rhyming text - and delightful ink illustrations from talented artist Marla Frazee, who was awarded a Caldecott Honor for her work on
All the World
. The result is a story that, while not exactly nutritionally sound (something the front dust-jacket humorously acknowledges), does address the reality of children who just refuse to eat anything but their particular food, fixed their way.
I enjoyed the story here, and liked the fact that the seven Peters children eventually realize just how hard their mother is working, trying to humor their preferences, and keep them happy and fed. I also appreciated the fact that this family of picky eaters isn't reformed at the end: they go on eating just one food, albeit a new food. Paradoxically, I think that this less didactic ending makes for a more thought-provoking story, as most children will know that it isn't possible to survive on cake alone, and will therefore be gently led (while also being entertained) to the conclusion that eating just one things isn't a good idea. I did have a few qualms about the fact that the division of labor here is so very gender specific - dad looks to be the handy-man type, while mom slaves continuously in the kitchen - and can't understand why, with seven children in the house, Mrs. Peters didn't put the older ones to work helping out, especially in picking up around the house. I recall having chores from an early age! Has that become an outdated idea?
Leaving these issues aside, I did enjoy Seven Silly Eaters, both for the story and for the artwork. Since reading All the World , I have become a real fan of Frazee's work, which always feels fresh and fun!
I enjoyed the story here, and liked the fact that the seven Peters children eventually realize just how hard their mother is working, trying to humor their preferences, and keep them happy and fed. I also appreciated the fact that this family of picky eaters isn't reformed at the end: they go on eating just one food, albeit a new food. Paradoxically, I think that this less didactic ending makes for a more thought-provoking story, as most children will know that it isn't possible to survive on cake alone, and will therefore be gently led (while also being entertained) to the conclusion that eating just one things isn't a good idea. I did have a few qualms about the fact that the division of labor here is so very gender specific - dad looks to be the handy-man type, while mom slaves continuously in the kitchen - and can't understand why, with seven children in the house, Mrs. Peters didn't put the older ones to work helping out, especially in picking up around the house. I recall having chores from an early age! Has that become an outdated idea?
Leaving these issues aside, I did enjoy Seven Silly Eaters, both for the story and for the artwork. Since reading All the World , I have become a real fan of Frazee's work, which always feels fresh and fun!
March 12, 2020
I♥️love♥️this♥️book♥️(words and all)! I'll read it with great pleasure time and again!
December 3, 2008
The moral of the story: don't have seven kids. Or, don't indulge their picky eating too much. Or, seven separate things - good in their own individual rights - can come together to create something fun and exciting and great (there's the argument for having seven kids).
January 27, 2016
A sweet, funny story about a totally endearing family. And the rhyme is perfect! Such fun to read and thankfully they all learn their lesson in the end...
May 2, 2017
A fun and silly rhyming story of a sweet young mother and her fussy baby. He will only drink milk and only at a certain temperature. The mother has no problem accommodating her tot's request, but as six more siblings join the family - each one with his or her own food demand - Mom becomes increasingly frazzled and frustrated at her "Silly Eaters."
This is a fun romp with beautiful illustrations and can teach kids not only about trying new foods, but also point out how hard parents work to do their best to meet children's requests - and also point out when such requests might not be reasonable. I especially love the way the house is not always a perfect, neat, home but always looks loved and cozy nonetheless.
This is a fun romp with beautiful illustrations and can teach kids not only about trying new foods, but also point out how hard parents work to do their best to meet children's requests - and also point out when such requests might not be reasonable. I especially love the way the house is not always a perfect, neat, home but always looks loved and cozy nonetheless.
July 26, 2018
I love the romanian translation and the illustrator is one of my favorites. My 2.5y old kid loves it even more. The only downside is that now I have to make pink lemonade and heat up the milk to the “just right” temperature:)))
May 28, 2021
Such a fun and delightful read! Captivated our children of various ages. We could all relate to these silly eaters and their poor mother.
January 5, 2023
Rating: 5 leaves out of 5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Children
Type: Book
Worth?: Yes
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Genre: Children
Type: Book
Worth?: Yes
July 18, 2023
Good flow & it all ties together at the end in an odd sort of way 🙃😁
December 13, 2023
This was cute.
March 16, 2023
this book was one of my favorites when i was in elementary school!
July 10, 2025
Definitely a favorite kid’s read, that I enjoy as much as my kids!
January 31, 2025
I don't love my kids as much as this mom does 😂😂 super cute book though and her pictures are very fun.
December 28, 2017
This story is not only sweet and silly, but it's written entirely in rhyme -- and well-written rhyme with a consistent meter and without a bunch of awkward/forced phrasing, which makes it even better. The verses chronicle the growth of the Peters family -- from one to seven children, as their mother, Mrs. Peters (who is FAR more of a saint than I am) patiently prepares more and more special foods as the family grows, since each picky eater has only one particular food that they eat (this is the silly part, because obviously no one could survive on any of those foods alone -- pink lemonade, applesauce, milk, etc. -- and I also don't think this book is suggesting that anyone should actually go to these lengths to indulge picky eating).
Finally, she is so worn out that she goes to bed, wondering if anyone remembers that it's her birthday the next day. Her children do, and take it upon themselves to bake something, but their attempts -- which will surely strike terror into the heart of any neat freak (or any parent, for that matter) -- seem to be futile, especially when all their foods get combined.
The ending is so cute, and I especially like the detail in the illustrations that shows Mrs. Peters practicing her cello -- the more kids she has, the less she does it, but once the children all begin learning to help out in the kitchen, we see her doing it again. I thought this story was a great combination of reality and absurdity, and certainly portrays moments that would be familiar to anyone who grew up in (or parents/parented) a large family (I'm one of seven myself).
After reading this, I wondered whether anyone had actually come up with a recipe to fit this story. Well, this is the internet, so of course they did: here's one blog which took the recipe right from the author's website. We haven't tried it yet, but it looks like fun and I bet the kids will especially like making something they've already read about in a book.
Finally, she is so worn out that she goes to bed, wondering if anyone remembers that it's her birthday the next day. Her children do, and take it upon themselves to bake something, but their attempts -- which will surely strike terror into the heart of any neat freak (or any parent, for that matter) -- seem to be futile, especially when all their foods get combined.
The ending is so cute, and I especially like the detail in the illustrations that shows Mrs. Peters practicing her cello -- the more kids she has, the less she does it, but once the children all begin learning to help out in the kitchen, we see her doing it again. I thought this story was a great combination of reality and absurdity, and certainly portrays moments that would be familiar to anyone who grew up in (or parents/parented) a large family (I'm one of seven myself).
After reading this, I wondered whether anyone had actually come up with a recipe to fit this story. Well, this is the internet, so of course they did: here's one blog which took the recipe right from the author's website. We haven't tried it yet, but it looks like fun and I bet the kids will especially like making something they've already read about in a book.
July 14, 2010
This book was a recommendation to me. Thank you! The first thing I noticed when I saw the cover was how colorful, fun, and expressive it was. I had a feeling before I opened it that I was going to love it. My feeling was right. I found myself spending time looking at every detail of each page. My daughter was never picky until she reached one. For the past month, she lets me know when she doesn't like something. This fact has made me appreciate this book more. It is a story about what a mother goes through to please her seven picky eaters. I enjoyed the way the story reads, in rhyme. There is an abundance of love in this family. It was a treat to learn of the family growing and each child’s picky preference. It might be hard for someone to imagine what it would be like to have seven children, especially ones that are picky. The illustrator did a great job of putting me right in the middle of the action. The children have a special birthday surprise for their mother. You will have to read the book to find out what it is. =)
October 12, 2018
Sorry, I can't get past judging this family to be ridiculous. Nobody needs seven children nowadays (or if they feel they want a houseful, they should foster and/or adopt). And no children need to be this indulged. I guess some readers just go with the idea that it's exaggerated for humor... good for them.
But hey, the pictures are amazing! All that detail, and yet it's all easy for my old eyes to see. And so much charm.
But hey, the pictures are amazing! All that detail, and yet it's all easy for my old eyes to see. And so much charm.
September 15, 2007
Marla Frazee's illustrations bring the rhyming verse of Mary Ann Hoberman to life. This is an adorable story of a sprawling happy family with VERY picky eaters for children. We love this read aloud!
August 14, 2018
This book is just delightful. We have fallen in love with the story that magically rhymes. What’s even better than the enjoyable story are the illustrations that give even more life to this book. Moms, grandmas, and aunts all need this book for the children in their lives.
October 31, 2014
One of my very favorite children's books EVER! Love everything about it!!
Want to read
March 12, 2025Reseña @maslibros.maslibres:
"En la familia Peters, cada uno de los siete hijos se niega a comer otra cosa que no sea su plato favorito (distinto, por supuesto, en cada caso), lo que lleva a su madre a realizar malabarismos culinarios dignos de admiración. Sin embargo, a medida que la historia avanza, vemos cómo la señora Peters se va cansando de satisfacer las demandas de sus hijos, hasta que finalmente llega a su límite. Es en este punto cuando la historia da un giro inesperado, que desemboca en un mensaje conmovedor sobre el amor, la generosidad y la importancia de apreciar los esfuerzos de quienes nos rodean.
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Las ilustraciones vibrantes y detalladas de Marla Frazee complementan a la perfección la narrativa, capturando con un toque de humor y calidez la caótica pero amorosa dinámica familiar.
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En conjunto, ‘Seven Silly Eaters’ es una lectura entrañable y divertida, en la que se verán reflejados los padres que tienen que lidiar con niños quisquillosos con la comida. Lectura imprescindible a partir de los tres años. Eso sí, el nivel de inglés del lector tiene que ser alto porque el texto es con rima y es muy musical. Tristemente, no lo he encontrado editado en castellano".
"En la familia Peters, cada uno de los siete hijos se niega a comer otra cosa que no sea su plato favorito (distinto, por supuesto, en cada caso), lo que lleva a su madre a realizar malabarismos culinarios dignos de admiración. Sin embargo, a medida que la historia avanza, vemos cómo la señora Peters se va cansando de satisfacer las demandas de sus hijos, hasta que finalmente llega a su límite. Es en este punto cuando la historia da un giro inesperado, que desemboca en un mensaje conmovedor sobre el amor, la generosidad y la importancia de apreciar los esfuerzos de quienes nos rodean.
.
Las ilustraciones vibrantes y detalladas de Marla Frazee complementan a la perfección la narrativa, capturando con un toque de humor y calidez la caótica pero amorosa dinámica familiar.
.
En conjunto, ‘Seven Silly Eaters’ es una lectura entrañable y divertida, en la que se verán reflejados los padres que tienen que lidiar con niños quisquillosos con la comida. Lectura imprescindible a partir de los tres años. Eso sí, el nivel de inglés del lector tiene que ser alto porque el texto es con rima y es muy musical. Tristemente, no lo he encontrado editado en castellano".
September 15, 2019
I love this book, mostly for the illustrations. The pictures captured our home so perfectly when my kids were small. I related with the mother in the story. There are 7 children in this story and I have 14 now, but at the time I discovered the book, I was expecting my 7th and even entertained my doula, Dr and nurses with this book as my labor was progressing. I related so absolutely when the serene and idyllic homelife of the family evolved into a joyful (albeit chaotic, crowded and exausting) race to fit everyone's needs into each day. I loved how it captured the joy as well as the challenges of the story and how the parents love for the children and one another never wavered but grew stronger with each child.
This is absolutely, hands down, my favorite children's book since I became a mother. When I was planning the illustrations for my own children's book, "Captain's Bean Bottle", I wanted so much to somehow convey the crescendoing joy that Marla Frazee captures so perfecly in the illustrations of this book.
This is absolutely, hands down, my favorite children's book since I became a mother. When I was planning the illustrations for my own children's book, "Captain's Bean Bottle", I wanted so much to somehow convey the crescendoing joy that Marla Frazee captures so perfecly in the illustrations of this book.
September 12, 2022
Lovely illustrations and perhaps I would have found it fun as a kid. But as a grumpy old spinster, this is just stressful. Seven kids in close succession (including a pair of twins) and each with different food preferences - warm milk, homemade lemonade, applesauce, oatmeal (no lump), homemade bread, and eggs (poached and fried). Mrs Peters is no doubt a good person, but her and her husband's parenting left a lot to be desired, who let the children be such picky eaters for so long.
November 26, 2017
I just love Marla Frazee’s artwork in every book of hers I have read so far, so I had to pick this one up at the library. My son is an only child right now, but he loves this silly rhyming story of a big family of picky eaters. My mom is one of 5 so I couldn’t resist reading it to her and my aunts over Thanksgiving too :)
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